As part of the You are at home’ programme, I organised a professional photo shoot of the clothes I designed. The session will help me promote my clothing brand - I plan to create a portfolio and a website.

Having a lot of experience, contacts and partnerships in Ukraine, after moving to Poland I realised that I had to build everything from scratch - establish relationships, develop new projects and shape my reputation.

To adapt and grow professionally in Poland, I need a carefully prepared portfolio. Thanks to a grant from the organisation Strefa Wolnosłowa, I was able to realise the first stage of this process.

The photo shoot took place on 20 March 2025.

Drum Dog Warsaw

Thanks to the Strefa WolnoSłowa scholarship programme, I was able to continue teaching percussion in Warsaw.

As a musician, percussionist and percussion teacher, I offer individual percussion lessons in Warsaw.
Languages: English, Russian, Belorussian, French. At the moment I have 8 regular students. I would like to increase this number to 20, which is my plan for 2025.

To achieve this goal, I need to work with my students on good quality photo/video content, learn more about online promotion, including targeting and SMM, improve my hard and soft skills. At the moment I am only working with Instagram, I might expand to a professional TikTok account, which will certainly make my life more difficult, but will probably help me reach my goal faster.

INSTAGRAM PROFILE

Our Home initiative in Olsztyn

We organise integration and educational meetings for refugees: free lessons in Ukrainian language, literature and culture (5 hours a week); workshops on environmental awareness, health-promoting gymnastics and handicrafts; psychological support group meetings; excursions.
The initiative involves 30 war refugee families.The aim is to reunite refugees, provide them with emotional support and create a safe space to help them better adapt to life in their new circumstances.

FACEBOOK PROFILE

MOM’S FOR MOM’S

This initiative is/was intended to bring together foreigners who are mothers(moms) especially 1st time mothers trying to figure out motherhood, in a foreign land with no family or relatives around but all alone without even knowing their immediate neighbours. It’s intended to bring together mom’s from all over the world, offer mentorship and social relationships for both the mothers and create a social lives for the kids. The initial plan was to include mentorship programs with professional co-ordinators eg midwives to assist the pregnant and newborn moms during pregnancy and after birth, therapists for our emotional and mental wellness, lawyers to guide us on all things legal in terms of getting Karta Pobytu for our children, co-parenting duties and finances during divorce or separation. Our goal is to create a community to bring togetherness, cross-cultural connections and support among moms. Safe to say from our 1st meeting I was able to bring 28 moms, 15 children together from all over the world...Kenya, Zimbabwe, Bolivia, Hong Kong, USA, Venezuela, Pakistani, Rwanda, France, Poland, Netherlands and Canada. I got the statistics through a registration form link I created while sending out the invites for proper planning and logistics.

As part of the You are at home micro-grant, I prepared a meeting at the Multicultural Centre in Warsaw on 22 February 2025.

Dmytro Kuzmenko is a writer and illustrator from Zhytomyr, Ukraine. He has written 20 books and creates mainly children's literature. He commissioned a translation of his book Вечірній вітер as part of his support for the You're at Home programme, which enabled him to start working with Polish publishing houses.

The grant I received from the Strefa WolnoSłowa Foundation was used in full to purchase materials to create three stained glass lamps. Thank you very much for the award and the opportunity to realise my project.

Website 

Don't open the door!
15-16 April
Jasna 10: Social Cultural Institution of Political Criticism

Photographer Aliaksandr Valodzin spent a year documenting the forced evictions of residents of Warsaw's sklots. His photographs show the everyday life of people occupying abandoned buildings in search of a roof over their heads, creating their own world there - fragile, but full of life and meaning. The artist tackles the subject of empty properties and people who desperately need a place to live. He also addresses the problem of art that does not fit into institutions and is looking for a space of action in the here and now. The people who occupy abandoned buildings are called sklooters or wild tenants. They form micro-communities that sooner or later confront the owners trying to reclaim their property. Now these stories can be seen in photographs accessible to the general public.

The exhibition was realised within the framework of the project You are at home - micro-grant to get start - a programme of support for artistic and cultural/social initiatives led by people with a migration experience.\

Cultural Get-Together at the National Museum of Ethnography, Warsaw

On the 24th of December, we brought together a vibrant group of individuals from diverse cultural and professional backgrounds for a memorable gathering at the National Museum of Ethnography in Warsaw. This carefully curated get-together aimed to foster meaningful connections, celebrate cultural diversity, and create a warm and inclusive atmosphere during the festive season.

Set against the rich and immersive backdrop of the museum, guests enjoyed an evening filled with engaging conversations, laughter, and exploration. The unique venue added a profound cultural dimension to the event, allowing attendees to appreciate ethnographic exhibitions while connecting with one another.

The gathering featured a delightful selection of food, traditional treats, and an assortment of beverages that catered to a variety of tastes and dietary preferences. The spread was thoughtfully chosen to reflect the spirit of inclusivity and hospitality, with every detail curated to ensure guests felt welcomed and appreciated.

As the evening progressed, the celebration continued with an after-party at the stylish Vavilon Lounge. The venue’s dynamic ambiance provided the perfect setting to unwind, dance, and deepen the connections initiated earlier in the evening. The shift in atmosphere—from the reflective cultural tone of the museum to the energetic rhythm of the lounge—offered a well-rounded and unforgettable experience.

The event drew around 40 attendees and stood out for its warmth, cultural resonance, and the genuine connections it sparked. Feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with many participants expressing gratitude for the opportunity to meet new people in such a thoughtful and unique setting.

This get-together was more than just a holiday celebration—it was a space where stories were shared, cultures met, and community spirit thrived. The success of the evening is a strong foundation for future events that aim to connect people meaningfully in inclusive and inspiring environments.

As part of the You're at Home - microgrant to get started, I funded the bilingual publication of the book Wild Animals of Kyiv and Warsaw.